County to hospital: Change 'Cheat Death' slogan

Gaston County commissioners came together Friday to oppose the local hospital’s new name and a provocative slogan, arguing it has put an embarrassing blemish on the region.

Thursday, administrators at the former Gaston Memorial Hospital formally made the switch to CaroMont Regional Medical Center. CaroMont Health leaders also unveiled a bold new wellness campaign that will carry the tagline, “Cheat Death.”

They say it is part of a plan to address a health crisis in the county.

During a press conference Friday at the Gaston County Courthouse, county commissioners Chad Brown, Tracy Philbeck and Jason Williams said they have been overwhelmed by negative reactions from residents about the hospital’s decision. With about 50 people looking on, some of whom identified themselves as CaroMont employees, the commissioners implored CaroMont to reconsider.

“I have gotten a lot of reaction from the community,” said Williams, adding that much of that has come from CaroMont workers. “Quite frankly, many of the physicians feel it cheapens their profession. Many employees are embarrassed because they feel it cheapens what they’re doing.”

Brown, Philbeck and Williams said the seven-member commission is united in its opposition. The new name alone disappoints them because it drops the Gaston Memorial reference that was adopted in 1946 to honor local veterans who died defending their country. But the slogan has gone beyond that by offending the community, they said.

CaroMont based its decision on studies that show Gaston residents are far less healthy than the rest of the state and nation.

But if hospital administrators aren’t willing to meet with commissioners and reconsider the new name and slogan, Philbeck said the county will consider its options legally.

“I can assure you that all options are on the table and will be considered,” he said.

Heavy impact

News of the polarizing cheat death slogan made waves on social networking sites and prompted headlines across the country Thursday. Stories about the change were featured in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Commissioners said they are upset that they weren’t consulted about the new marketing plan beforehand. They also feel hospital leaders didn’t do enough to consult more members of the community about their plans.

“It’s more than a slogan and a name change,” said Philbeck. “It’s a pattern of (hospital administrators) being extremely out of touch.”

The county owns the hospital building and land, but leases it to CaroMont Health, which operates it as a public, nonprofit health care agency. County commissioners appoint almost all the members of the CaroMont Health Board of Trustees.

But trustees say they didn’t vote on the change, which was made by hospital management.

Also speaking Friday was Pearl Burris Floyd, a former state House representative and Gaston commissioner. As a cancer detection specialist who has worked in health care 34 years, Floyd said “I have never witnessed anything like this.”

As a nonprofit, public entity, CaroMont Health has an obligation to consider the community’s feelings, she said.

“We were not given the opportunity to even voice our opinion about something that is so important to all of us,” said Floyd.

Floyd said the new slogan has made Gaston County a “laughingstock.” She said the suggestion of cheating death would be offensive to people in Hospice care and others who will have to face that reality.

“They do not deserve to have a T-shirt in their face that says “Cheat Death” when they’re drawing their last breath,” she said.

“I don’t have any reaction to their plan (to denounce the name and slogan),” she said. “I think they have every right to their opinion and we respect it. But we’re trying to do what’s best for a community that’s in a dire crisis.”

The severity of the health problems facing Gaston County’s population demanded that CaroMont come up with an aggressive approach to changing lifestyles, Cowden said. People must get past the shock of first hearing the tagline and realize it’s a response to problems caused by high adult obesity rates, diabetes rates, excessive smoking and other issues, she said.

“We hope that people will come to an understanding of the deeper message that our county is in a serious health crisis,” she said.

Cowden emphasized that the cheat death tagline isn’t intended to be a motto of CaroMont Regional Medical Center. Rather, it’s tied specifically to CaroMont Health’s new wellness movement.

“I’m not sure people are understanding that it’s a tagline for a movement and an overall wellness revolution, if you will,” she said.

Hospital administrators on Thursday also stressed the changes are part of an overall strategy of preventing illness and injury in the first place, rather than simply curing the sick. It will involve the nonprofit partnering with restaurants and gyms for cheat death menu items and workouts. And they spoke of the need to involve Gaston County schools and other community leaders.

Cowden said CaroMont wants county commissioners and everyone else to be on board with that movement.

“I think it’s very important, if it’s a community-wide effort, that this is something where everybody has to take responsibility for their health choices, and CaroMont can help them with that,” she said. “We know the commissioners very much care about these things. We appreciate that.

“We want people to pay attention, but up until now, no one’s been listening.”